New Delhi, October 9
The latest diplomatic bugbear from Beijing to New Delhi is China’s incursions into Bhutan, a country whose foreign policy is by and large run by India. China-watchers in the Government of India are red-faced by the latest incident of Chinese troops’ incursion into India as the development is a reminder to both the countries — India and Bhutan — that they have to expeditiously resolve the boundary dispute with China.

India has already discussed the subject with Thimpu and will be taking up the matter with Beijing as well.

New Delhi finds itself faced with yet another provocation from China - this time over the issue of Indian bunkers in the Indian northeastern state of Sikkim. China recently upped its ante and demanded that India remove the two bunkers even though the bunkers are on Indian territory.

India has neither removed the bunkers nor does it plan to do so. The matter is now between the two foreign offices and indications are that India is going to stand its ground on the bunker issue.

The reports of Chinese incursions into Bhutan, a couple of days after the Indian Army chief denied reports of Chinese intrusions into India, could not have come at a more inopportune time. External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to visit China later this month to prepare the ground for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to China, presumably early next year.

Earlier, fresh reports of Chinese intrusion through Arunachal Pradesh had raised temperature in Itanagar as well as New Delhi, though the government simply refused to acknowledge the reports.